The bill to repeal national standards that limit a toilet's flushing capacity to 1.6 gal. was defeated in a House subcommittee April 12. The House energy and power subcommittee voted 13-12 to reject the Plumbing Standards Improvement Act, effectively killing its chances for a full commerce committee vote this session.

The subcommittee's decision is being called a major victory by supporters of the existing 1.6-gpf standard established by the Energy Policy Act of 1992. U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Mich., who sponsored the legislation (H.R. 623), called the vote a setback but vowed to continue the fight.